Brief Details About NAFDAC
To combat illegal or fake goods in Nigeria, NAFDAC was established in 1993. NAFDAC was established by Nigeria's 1993 health and safety law. The agency was established in other to deal with the country's significant challenges of adulteration of food, medicines, cosmetics, medical equipment, chemicals, bottled water, and other consumables.The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control Act, Cap. N1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, is the successor of Decree 15 of 1993, which founded NAFDAC and revised it by Decree 19 of 1999.
What Is The Full Meaning Of NAFDAC
NAFDAC is an acronym for the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.It is a federal government agency that reports to the Federal Ministry of Health. Its duties include policing the production, distribution, sale, use, advertisement, and use of food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, medical equipment, chemicals, and bottled water.Duties of NAFDAC include:
- Collating uniform requirements, legislation, and instructions for food, medicines, medical devices, bottled water, and chemicals development, importation, manufacture, sale, and distribution.
- Regulating the export from Nigeria of food, medicines, medical devices, bottled water, and chemicals. It also provides certificates for these goods of quality assurance.
- Conducting satisfactory checks and maintaining conformity with uniform requirements established and accepted by the NAFDAC Council for successful quality control of food, medications, cosmetics, medical devices, bottled liquid, and chemicals.
- Performing audits of imported foods, medicines, cosmetics, medical devices, bottled water, and chemicals as well as developing a comprehensive program for quality assurance.
The primary roles of NAFDAC are:
- Regulate or monitor the production, produce, manufacture, advertising, supply, selling, and use of pharmaceutical goods, cosmetics, medical devices, bottled liquid, and chemical products
- Compile typical requirements, legislation, and instructions for food, medicines, cosmetics, medical devices, bottled water, and chemicals development, manufacture, export, sale, and distribution
- Document nutrition, medications, medical devices, bottled water, and chemicals.
Salary Structure of NAFDAC
Based on estimates, new hires at NAFDAC earn between 70,000 and 90,000 Naira monthly after-tax deductions (excluding allowances).The annual salary for a NAFDAC employee in Grade Level 7 is 1,073,217 Naira before tax and pension deductions which rounds up to around 89,434 per month.
A NAFDAC staff on Grade Level 8 receives an annual salary of 1,247,854 Naira before tax and pension deductions which round up to around 103,987 Naira per month.
The truth is that NAFDAC employees are also eligible for certain allowances in addition to their base wages. These benefits, however, are based on several factors, including the post held, the location, and the year of service, among others.
NAFDAC Achievements
Over the years, NAFDAC has recorded significant achievements in safeguarding public health and promoting regulatory compliance. Some notable accomplishments include:- Interception and destruction of large quantities of counterfeit and substandard drugs and other regulated products.
- Prosecution and conviction of individuals and organizations involved in the manufacture, importation, and distribution of counterfeit and substandard products.
- Strengthening of regulatory frameworks and standards for the evaluation, registration, and monitoring of regulated products.
- Collaboration with international agencies and organizations to enhance capacity building, information sharing, and technical assistance in regulatory matters.
NAFDAC Challenges
Despite its achievements, NAFDAC faces various challenges that hinder its effectiveness in fulfilling its mandate. These challenges include:- Limited resources and funding constraints, impact the agency's capacity to carry out its regulatory functions effectively.
- The increase in counterfeit and substandard products is fueled by open borders, weak regulatory enforcement, and inadequate penalties for offenders.
- Inadequate public awareness and consumer education on the dangers of consuming counterfeit and substandard products.
- Emerging threats such as the proliferation of fake COVID-19 vaccines and other health products during public health emergencies.
- Strengthening of collaboration with other regulatory agencies, law enforcement agencies, and international partners to combat counterfeit and substandard products.
- Introduction of innovative technologies and systems for product authentication, traceability, and surveillance.
- Expansion of public enlightenment campaigns and consumer education initiatives to raise awareness about the dangers of counterfeit and substandard products.
- Review and update regulatory frameworks and standards to keep pace with evolving trends and emerging threats in the regulatory landscape.
How to Navigate Product Registration with NAFDAC
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has recognized the difficulties faced by small businesses in registering their products with the agency. To address these challenges, NAFDAC has introduced several measures, including reviewing guidelines and simplifying registration processes specifically tailored to the needs of these businesses. The goal is to eliminate obstacles and bureaucratic procedures that hinder the smooth registration and regulatory activities of small businesses.According to the information on NAFDAC, Here's a breakdown of the classification of small businesses according to the National Policy on Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs):
Micro Enterprises: Employ less than 10 people.
Small Enterprises: Employ between 10 to 49 people.
Medium Enterprises: Employ between 50 to 199 people.
Guidelines for MSME Products
For food products
- Inspection guidelines for food manufacturing facilities.
- Establishment guidelines for small-scale food industries.
- Requirements for bread manufacturing facilities.
- Requirements for packaged water facilities.
- Inspection guidelines for micro and small-scale enterprises.
For cosmetic products
- Guidelines for registering cosmetics made in Nigeria.
- Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines for cosmetic products.